Exploring the Fascinating and Gruesome Crimes of Charleston

Ahh Charleston. A town that is brimming with insights and color. This vibrant port city is a hotbed for creativity, art, and culture. Beyond the beauty, it has a dark side. A side filled with stories of gruesome goings-on, that span hundreds of years. Tucked away in the heart of downtown Charleston lies the fascinating world of crime and murder. Join us as we go deep on the twisty stories and legends of Charleston’s past and learn the facts, myths and everything in between that make up the unique criminal history of Charleston.

Why Is Charleston So Crime-ridden?

Founded in 1670, this historic city has grown from a sleepy little port to a burgeoning tourist hub. Attracting millions every year and boasting one of the most vibrant cities in America as well as a mecca for culture and entertainment. But why is it that this beautiful city has such a dark past? When we take a more thorough look at what makes up the culture of any region such as South Carolina, we often come to find that a city has been through many different ages and events, some worse than others.

Charleston is no different. Throughout its history, it witnessed colonization, slavery, piracy, The Revolutionary War and untimely deaths by diseases such as yellow fever and malaria. With each event, came its own set of dangers, some more sinister than others. Each era introduced new hardships with families being torn apart and lives taken away in a blink of an eye.

The streets, closed-minded attitudes and infected air all led to frequent outbursts and crimes throughout the city’s long history. Making it much more lawless with ready access to weapons or smuggled goods. As a result, law enforcement in Charleston had to work hard to keep order in the streets, no easy feat due to its uneven proportions of power in the hands of wealthy white people and those of African descent.

Without proper order or justice it meant that things often went unpunished and people could take advantage of this “lawlessness’ by committing more serious crimes such as robberies, rapes and even murder.

Exploring The Notorious Men Of Charleston

If there’s anything that Charleston is infamous for, it’s the men who committed some of their most iconic crimes in the area. John C Beale Chief amongst them is John C Beale, who was sentenced to life in Charleston Penitentiary for murder back in 1855.

A wealthy landowner from Delaware, Beale stole from banks on multiple occasions throughout his life. Yet it wasn’t until his move to Charleston that he was arrested for murdering his wife and her lover. He was also accused multiple forgeries with some of the stolen money he received from his robberies being used to purchase real estate holdings in the area.

Beale was eventually released from prison in 1869 after being pardoned by United States President Ulysses S Grant. He received a full pardon after serving less than twelves years of his life sentence.

Another infamous crime related figure from Charleston’s history is Francis Marion, better known as being “Swamp Fox’. The leader of a group of rebels who were part of the American Revolutionary War, Marion was one of the key players in helping the Patriots win independence from Britain. Though due to his tactics of guerrilla warfare, he was also outlawed as a criminal by both the British and American forces. After surrendering alongside his men in 1781 during the Battle of Eutaw Springs, Marion was released and granted amnesty.

Last but certainly not least is Abel Magwitch, otherwise known as The Charleston Shadowman. A mysterious figure who supposedly haunted the streets of Charleston during the late 19th century at night, Magwitch scoured through streets looking for his next victims. Legend says he would collect items from those he killed and added them to his collection as trophies for later admiring. Though no body was ever found and it wasn’t until recently that evidence linking this mysterious figure to these crimes emerged at the newly opened museum on the grounds of Dismis Plantation in South Carolina.

Charleston’s Haunted Stages Of Crime

Charleston’s history with crime goes much further than just individual cases. In fact, since its establishment several locations in the city have become associated with some truly eerie occurrences that frequently spook locals and visitors alike.

One such location is Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, which was once used as a makeshift prison during The Revolutionary War whilst also serving as a center point for trade and commerce. Amongst those imprisoned were what were called Loyalists or Tories – those who remained loyal to Britain during the war – many of whom were held in insoluble cells, discovering the true meaning of what it meant to be incarcerated in such conditions in those days.

Another spooky spot, is the Old City Jail which opened around 1802 and quickly became known for its grim goings-on inside, making it one America’s most haunted locations! Connected via a system of underground tunnels running underneath the jail, prisoners could be moved without fear or detection from one cell to another. Consequently it’s said that ghostly apparitions are often witnessed wandering through these roots with wailing sounds echoing throughout!

Then we have White Point Gardens – also known as The Battery – which sits on what was once a marshland area filled with cannons facing outwards towards the sea in an attempt to ward off any potential enemy landings. Today it’s an expansive park where it’s said that around 200 Confederate prisoners are buried beneath its grassy surface, having lost their lives in the bloody civil war of the north vs south during 1861 – 1865.

Would You Survive A Tour Of Charlestons Haunted Locations?

If you’re feeling brave enough, why not book yourself onto a guided tour through some of these horrific tales from history? GetYourGuide offer an exciting guided pub crawl with cocktail tastes around various historic sites such as Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon and Old City Jail as you hear about true crime stories from your local tour guide! The tour focuses on both fact and fiction allowing you to grasp a true understanding of the kind of tales that have been told around these sites throughout the years and what would have been endured by those unfortunate souls to have experienced them first hand? With exclusive access around many sites off limits to regular tourists plus two cocktails included – what’s not to love? As they say – seeing is believing! So why not book yourself onto the Charleston True Crime Stories Guided Pub Crawl with Cocktails today!

Conclusion

The city of Charleston has a long history filled with twists and turns – with crime stories playing a big part within it. From infamous criminals such as John C Beale and Francis Marion who plied their trades within its cobbled streets – through to tales from some its haunted locations – discovering these eerie stories offers new insights into this unique setting that’s unlike anywhere else in America! Make sure you take the plunge and explore Charleston’s criminal history – you won’t regret it!